Sepultura

With Sworn Enemy, Diecast, Suicide Silence, and Solipsist. Wednesday, November 29, at the Agora Ballroom.

In the late '90s, lots of fans swore up and down that Sepultura without Max Cavalera would fail. Then they heard Soulfly, the departed singer-guitarist's next project, and decided that Sepultura minus Cavalera still rocked a thousand times harder than that crap. And whaddya know? With 2005's Dante XXI, Sepultura Mark II, now featuring Cleveland native Derrick Green, created a killer album.

But in June of this year, drummer Igor Cavalera left the band he started with his brother back in 1984, making bassist Paulo Jr. the only original member still standing. So the question becomes even more urgent: Should fans support a Cavaleraless Sepultura? The new drummer hails from Brazil, so hopefully that will ensure that the band's trademark polyrhythms won't be replaced by routine crash and clatter. For now, let's postpone the devil horns and flash a cautionary thumbs up.